I lowered my ears as yet another freezing cold raindrop landed on my scruff. Why does it have to rain today? Of all days, why today? I shivered as I kept running swiftly through the trees to our meeting place. It's so cold and rainy, and I can't even see 3 tail-lengths in front of me! I tripped over a gnarled tree root and landed flat on my face in a puddle of freezing water. I'm awake! I'm awake! I shook the frosty water droplets off my whiskers before something grabbed my attention in the puddle's reflection. I looked closer before I saw what caught my attention. Golden fur? Who has golden fur? I thought as I saw a flash whiz by me. I looked up to see a friend I'd had since... forever really.

"Simba! How did you find me?" I looked into his sparkling playful eyes before he nuzzled my cheek.

"Who couldn't see a blob of gray against this field of white?" He smiled and started laughing. "Come on, we might be late." The slim form of my friend spun around and started racing through the forest.

"Hey! No fair!" I yowled, before realizing that his golden fur would make it easy for me to spot him. I smiled as I sped up and ran in his pawsteps. As I neared his golden form, I swerved to the right and looked at him. If I wasn't mistaken, I felt a little flutter near my heart. What was that? I shook my head inwardly as I kept running. I'm probably just shivering from the cold and the rain. I slowed down when I saw the huge tree in front of me. The meeting place! Finally! Is that Timber? I looked closer when I saw a flash of cream fur. "Timber!" I ran towards her huddled form under the roots of the tree.

"Storm! Inside, Quick!" She let me in the warm, dry roots of the large oak tree. "Was anyone with you? I thought I saw Simba."

"Yeah, me and Simba ran into each other on the way here. I don't see him though." I paused before running back out of warm shelter and tipping my head upwards. "Simba!" I yowled at the top of my lungs, the rain starting to pour even harder, down from the angry gray sky. I wish Heron didn't allow me to go this morning. I don't get it. I huffed and walked towards the roots again. It was nice and sunny and warm this morning...? I started shivering at the cold when I looked up to see Simba by my side.

"Come on! You're going to freeze!" A loud voice sounded over the pouring rain. I heard a faint huff before teeth grabbed my scruff and pulled me to the meeting place. I saw golden fur ahead of me, before looking up to see brown and black stripes. Dexter! Thank goodness! I let my trembling form curl up into a ball before closing my eyes. The raindrops falling on the ground started getting fainter and fainter as my breathing slowed way down. I heard faint voices, but one above all others.

"You can't let her just sit there!" The voice stopped before I felt long, warm stokes on my back and scruff. I slowly heard things louder and louder and heard a soft voice in my ear. "If you don't live past this day, or if I never get to see you again, know this. I have always loved you." I saw the familiar golden fur above me, trying relentlessly to warm me back up.

"Simba? Is that you?" I meowed groggily and licked his paw, yet he didn't hear me.

"Storm! You're alive!" He licked my ears before looking at me strangely. Does he think I heard him? I don't think I should tell him, though. It might hurt his feelings...

"Why are you staring at me?" I queried, pretending not to know why.

He blushed slightly before stuttering. "I-uh..." He paused. "Never mind that." He licked my ears again before wrapping his golden fur around my dappled gray pelt to keep me warm. I purred before I realized something unnatural.

"Where's Timber and Dexter?" I tried to sit up quickly before getting nudged back down.

"They went into the tunnels underneath us to get some food. They'll be back in a couple heartbeats, I'm sure." Simba assured me before resting his golden head on my shoulder. Just then two speeding forms ran out of the tunnels.

"Storm!" Timber came running at me and dropped a good-sized mouse at my paws. "I see that Simba kept you warm." I saw a mischievous smile pass from Timber to Simba, who gave a quiet growl in response. Just then I realized something. That same smile had been passed between them for moons, yet I had never really known why.

-

Simba padded up to me, a plump vole in his jaws. "Wanna share? There's plenty." I saw Timber sit down next to Dexter, sending a small grin to Simba.

"Of course! I love vole, you know this!" I playfully bumped his shoulder and he blushed slightly. I grabbed a bite of the vole and passed it back to him. We ate the whole vole, him insisting me to eat the last bite. I just chuckled and followed along as he sighed.

-

"It has started to stop raining. It is only a drizzling a little bit now." Simba sat up and went over to the entrance of the tree den. Dexter went over to Simba and dropped a large mouse at his paws. Simba glanced up to Dexter before taking a large bite. I looked away as Timber passed the mouse to me.

"Hey, Timber? Can I tell you something?" I took a bite and passed it back to her.

"Of course! What is it?"

"Simba told me that he loved me while I was 'asleep'." I took another bite and waited for the she-cat's response.

"You know, he's always liked you, ever since we first met. All of the random things he does for you? That's because he likes you. It's kind of like a feeling you just can't control." Timber smiled at me warmly, making me glance back at the two toms that were laughing and having fun. I had that fluttering feeling again.

"Should I tell him? That I heard him say it?" I sighed and shuffled my paws.

"No. If you tell him, he'd be very embarrassed and would act awkward around you ever since." She sighed. "Honestly, that advice had to come from my brother. I learned it after I had already told him that I knew he loved me."

"Wait, who did you tell?" I looked back at Timber when she drooped her head a little.

"His name was Cloud. He had loved me ever since we were little, but I wasn't interested in him. I felt so bad." I walked over to Timber and tried to comfort her.

"Hey, look! The sun is back up!" I heard a happy yowl from Simba.

"Come on, let's go catch some food." I went behind Timber and nudged her rump.

"Okay! I'm coming!" Timber followed right behind me as I ran to Simba and Dexter.

"Me and Timber agreed that we should go hunting. Wanna come with me, Simba, while Timber and Dexter go together?" I saw Simba's eyes light up as he tried to control his happiness. "We'll go this way, you guys can go that way." I looked to Timber when Simba padded ahead. She nodded her head in approval and I smiled as I tried to catch up to Simba. "I can smell squirrel and vole. Which do you want?" Simba smiled.

"I'll get the vole." Simba opened his mouth and tracked after it. I smiled and went the opposite way after the squirrel. Thankfully it wasn't too far away. I got in a hunting crouch and pounced when I heard a sharp growl. The squirrel darted up the tree as I hissed under my breath.

I just lost that squirrel to your rambunctious noises! ... It was kind of scrawny though. I huffed before slowly following yet another low growl, this time followed by a yelp. I ran towards the sound until I was sure I was right there. I crouched and slowly walked to the bush in front of me, sticking my muzzle out slightly to see what was happening. I gasped when I saw Simba under a white-and-silver she-cat. I shook with anger and jumped out of my hiding place.

"Get off my friend you fox-heart!" I yowled at the top of my lungs as I ran to the cat and stood face-to-face with her. It took all my discipline not to claw her over the face right then and there. I stepped back when a sharp claw came swinging towards my face, missing my whiskers by a mousetail. A voice boomed from behind me.

"Now, now, Frost. Don't attack them unless they are old enough to cause us harm." A cat walked up from behind me, but I didn't dare look yet.

"They were on our territory though, Dia-" Frost stopped. "sir." What type of cat makes their followers say 'sir'. Heron said that's only for gangs who want power. Oh my... "What else was I supp-" Frost was cut off by a sharp kick to her belly. I looked down to see Simba standing next to Frost, a paw on her chest.

"S-" I thought better than to say his name. "Stop. We don't need any more trouble." I watched as Simba let go of Frost and walked over to me. Frost hissed in frustration before this cat meowed again. This time I turned around. A huge, bright ginger tom stood before me. His paws were stark white, not a single grain of dirt was on him. Then I saw his eyes. They were a sharp, cold yellow, menace blazed in them.

"A wise one, aren't we?" He laughed before staring straight into my eyes. I didn't flinch. His deathly sharp claws slid out, glinting in the small amount of sunlight. I nodded my head, understanding what he meant, and walked out of the small clearing. "Oh, try to stay out of our territory next time?" I walked out silently, Simba treading right next to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small limp from my friend.

"Are you hurt?" When Simba shook his head, I sat in front of him, blocking his path. "Paw." I demanded, and he huffed before lying his leg down at my paws.

"Frost bit me, but I-"

"You are not fine. You're coming with me to my den. I'll bring you back here tomorrow to go home with Timber and Dexter." I signaled for him to follow me, but he was being stubborn.

"I don-"

"It wasn't an option, Simba." I licked his ears and we traveled home.

-

"Storm? Is that blood?" This was the first thing I heard when I walked through the grass around our clearing. By now the sky was dark and you could barely see the sun's rays.

"It's Simba." I replied shortly, tired from the long day. Heron walked to us and gasped when she saw Simba.

"What happened? Who did this? Ho- Nevermind that. Go to your siblings, Storm. I've got Simba." I obeyed her order and walked over to Holly and Wolf. Wolf was fast asleep, but Holly was wide awake.

"Are you okay? I smell blood." Holly leapt up, studying my small form.

"I'm fine! It's Simba. Can you just let me rest? I'm tired." I meowed angrily, annoyed that I was being pestered by my family.

"Yeah, come here." Holly went over to our nest and softened the moss between her and Wolf. I lied down and almost fell asleep when Simba and Heron came over to us.

"Simba, you can sleep with me." Heron meowed quietly. I opened my eyes to see cobwebs wrapped around Simba's leg. That was quick.

"Thank you so much." Simba whispered and nuzzled in next to Heron. Heron just nodded and smiled.

"Hey, Storm? Who hurt Simba?" Heron leaned over and whispered in my ear. I just answered groggily.

"This silver-and-white she-cat named Frost. They was also this other-" My explanation was paused by a big yawn. "This other tom, his name starts with Dia-, and he was ginger with white paws. His eyes were icy yellow and his claws were really sharp. He didn't scare me though." I opened my eyes to see if that was enough, when I saw the scared blue eyes of my mother. It must've just been my imagination. I closed my eyes and dozed off, forgetting most of that day.

----------

Written by Spirit! Hope you liked it! Sorry it was a week late... XD I am currently going through a writer's block for the next chapter, so just hang in there with me if it is late. ~Spirit

Edited by River.